My name is John Paul Ferguson, I’m 47 and I live in Covington, TN with my wife, Sandra, of 10 years, 3 dogs and nine cats. I work for Kele Inc., a national distributor of building automation components as Director of Strategic and National account sales
I was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2012. This was first cancer in my family’s direct line; had no obvious signs of blood loss but was becoming more and more fatigued. Looking back on it now we know that I was pale, always out of breath, etc. I just thought I had gotten so out of shape (desk job and not walking since foot fracture).
All of the symptoms were from the blood loss from growths in colon. During a routine visit to doctor and blood test, the extremely low levels were first found and I went to family physician, who confirmed blood loss was from digestive tract (stool test), Internal medicine who found growths (colonoscopy) and then surgery to remove
My primary treatment was colonoscopy, transverse and segment colon resection and now waiting on chemotherapy.
I never dreamed I would have cancer. But now that I do, I am committed to beating it.
Everyone has been supportive, both my and Sandra’s families have stepped up to take care of things around house etc. All friends have offered help, support or anything we need. It has been great support.
I was positive on beating this from first diagnosis. It was a shock and the word cancer is numbing. So don’t focus on the word. What is sustaining me is that I just do not feel bad, the doctors knowledge is incredible and the feeling (can’t explain fully) that this will be beat.